Writing can be a solitary endeavor for many creatives, but others find comfort in writing with a partner. It’s even more impressive when these two, who happen to be siblings, are able to bring their long shared world to the screen. For comedy duo John and Dave Chernin, this couldn’t be truer.
Brothers John and Dave began their screenwriting careers as screenwriters It’s always sunny in Philadelphiathen left after six seasons to become Pioneer Mick. Now, the brothers are flexing their comedic muscles in a high school comedy, incominga homage to raunchy teen movies like Very bad and American Pie.
The 20-year journey from full-time screenwriter to feature writer and director has not been easy for the brothers, but every lesson learned from the ups and downs has been valuable to the duo.
Check out Dave and John Chernin’s conversation with ScreenCraft and the lessons we learned from their experiences as TV writers, their transition to feature films, and their struggle to sit down every day and write something that makes them laugh.
Looking for comedy together
John and Dave lived in the same house after college and, after pursuing careers in screenwriting, decided to write as a duo. At the time, John was working as an assistant for the Farrelly Brothers and then at Ridley Scott’s commercial production company.
“We are lucky to be able to work with [Always] sunny Guys. Then we became a professional team. Now, legally speaking, we are forever connected,” Dave said.
“After 15 years of working together professionally, we finally got separate offices two days ago for a job. Now, we’re in my office, but normally every year our desks are squeezed together, face to face, and shared. A room,” John added.
after work It’s always sunny in Philadelphiathe brothers decided it was time to transition from full-time writers to showrunners Mick.
“when Mick It happens and we’re ready. We had the right amount of experience and the right amount of failure, and we learned a lot of tricks along the way,” Dave said, noting that many of the tricks they learned as staff writers have continued to inform nearly everything they’ve done since. . “by the time Mick Hit, we’re at the age and experience level where we’re ready to take the next step.
Read more: How to become a showrunner
The balancing act of a screenplay
No matter how long you’ve been writing, finding the tonal balance between story and comedy isn’t easy. This skill takes time, failure, success, and some notes from people in the industry to see results. For John and Dave, finding balance has become easier thanks to a trick they learned from working with others always sunny and Mick.
“We love the juxtaposition of crossovers in the middle of a movie. It’s a trick we learned from television always sunnywhich features two factions of characters on opposite sides of an issue, keeps the story fresh. When we feel like we’re running out of gas, we can always jump to another one,” Dave said.
This lesson doesn’t just apply to writing for television. The brothers use it when writing their feature films to help the audience and themselves become involved in the story.
“I think one of the things we do a lot in television is juxtapose ideas and have them intersect. So, these two guys [in Incoming] People who are invited to parties and given the opportunity to be cool and popular end up getting stuck and learning their lessons. At the same time, two outcasts who are not allowed to leave, who are thrust upon them at the beginning of the film, actually grow into themselves by the end,” Dave points out.
But finding the tonal balance that keeps the story moving is a different journey for every writer. That’s why the Chernins were so excited to sit down and write for nearly six hours a day off set.
“The great thing about writing is that you have a lot of control over it. I don’t think you necessarily know how your audience is going to react, but I don’t think you need to know. You should write for yourself and work on improving your craft .No matter what happens, you can watch a million movies, read a million TV shows, read scripts, and write your own scripts. There are many ways to succeed in this industry, but a lot of it relies on opportunity. and luck. However, as a writer, you control your own destiny because you can always get better at your craft,” John said.
Read more: How writers can avoid procrastination, find discipline, and get motivated
“Incoming” (2024)
Find ways to keep writing
While there are many ways to get your script in front of people, such as through competitions, scholarships or making connections while working in a studio, John and Dave know that getting a foot in the door isn’t always easy. However, there are ways to improve your skills and get creative that will make every script you write an improvement over the last.
For Dave, reading as many scripts as possible is a great way to not only learn structure but also develop style. “You can get almost any script online these days, so start checking out people’s styles and structures. Feel free to borrow a few tricks until you develop your own style,” he points out.[Writing] Muscles indeed. We’re almost 20 years into our career, and I still feel like every script we write is better than the one before. Keep at it. Opportunities will come, but you have to be ready.
John says one way opportunities come is by surrounding yourself with creative people who make you want to create great work to show them.
“Surround yourself with people you want to work with. You make each other better, and it’s fun. Dave and I learned a lot always sunny Because we are surrounded by such talented people, they become our friends. Then we would pass the text around and ask, ‘Can you look at this? “Writing can be a solitary pursuit, so anything you can do to make it more social and fun will go a long way.”
Once you have a script that excites you, submit it to a competition like the ScreenCraft TV Promotion Contest, or work on the project with others who are also excited about the project.
“Make something yourself. Produce something yourself. With today’s technology, you don’t always have the opportunity to be on a studio-funded show, but you always have the ability to whip out your phone and make something. I can’t stress enough how much you gain from something like this How much you learn by doing, both good and bad,” Dave said.
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If you want to be a TV staff writer, showrunner, or feature film writer/director, you start by writing a script, sharing it, and refining it until it becomes something tangible. Every “no” is a lesson that can translate into future success, but you have to keep trying. As John and Dave say, your destiny is in your hands. You just have to keep writing.
Read more: Why writing a TV series is better than writing a feature (and why it’s not)
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